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Pump/Bottle cleaning question

How do all of you clean/sterilize your pump parts and the bottles you use? I am a huge germaphobe and feel like nothing is ever clean enough. I'm afraid of doing something wrong and making my LO sick. I don't pump a whole lot right now (SAHM and feeding on demand) but when I do pump, I wind up rinsing the horn pieces and using the steam microwave bags. I was also continuously steaming the tubes and have stopped doing that. I take the face plate off of my pump (I have a PISA) and cleaning behind that. As for bottles, I have only used them once since LO is only 3 weeks and it was only for one day. I washed then microwave sterilized them, but I am not sure what the daily maintenance should be. I am sure I will have tons of follow up questions to your responses as this is my new neurosis TIA

Re: Pump/Bottle cleaning question

and
When I was pumping several times per day my wash routine was to wash the pump parts and bottles in warm soapy water nightly and to use the sterlization bags at the end of the week.

In my opinion soap and hot water will get the parts clean enough on a daily basis and using the steam bags once a week is good. I also change my membranes and valves every few weeks and did a PISA cleaning every few months.

Trust me once your child becomes mobile you won't have time to be tat obsessive about cleaning!

Re: Pump/Bottle cleaning question

Wow. I haven't ever cleaned the pump itself in a year of pumping. I didn't know it was neccessary

What I do is rinse the horns in hot water after I pump every time and then once a day use the sterilizer bags. My friend gave me the Avent steam sterilizer when she finished pumping and it's pretty great - no more bags to keep track of how many time you have used them.

If I were you, I would probably just wash out the bottle before you use it if it's been a long time since you've sterilized it.

I've only sterilized the tubing once and water got in there that never came out and it just seemed like a hassle. I have never done it since.

Re: Pump/Bottle cleaning question

and
When I was pumping several times per day my wash routine was to wash the pump parts and bottles in warm soapy water nightly and to use the sterlization bags at the end of the week.

In my opinion soap and hot water will get the parts clean enough on a daily basis and using the steam bags once a week is good. I also change my membranes and valves every few weeks and did a PISA cleaning every few months.

Trust me once your child becomes mobile you won't have time to be tat obsessive about cleaning!

Thanks for the warm welcome. I have been lurking for about a week but the ladies are so supportive here I had to jump in with some of my questions. Do you would buy new membranes and valves every few weeks?

I have heard that as time goes on I won't be as obsessed with the cleaning. I am definitely looking forward to that

Another quick question- when you freeze your milk, do you refrigerate it first and then move it to the freezer? Or pop it into the freezer right away?

Re: Pump/Bottle cleaning question

Originally Posted by @llli*mommy2lilah

Wow. I haven't ever cleaned the pump itself in a year of pumping. I didn't know it was neccessary

What I do is rinse the horns in hot water after I pump every time and then once a day use the sterilizer bags. My friend gave me the Avent steam sterilizer when she finished pumping and it's pretty great - no more bags to keep track of how many time you have used them.

If I were you, I would probably just wash out the bottle before you use it if it's been a long time since you've sterilized it.

I've only sterilized the tubing once and water got in there that never came out and it just seemed like a hassle. I have never done it since.

Thanks for your input. The Avent sterilizer is for pump pieces? If so, does it work with Medela pumps? The only reason I thought of cleaning the pump itself is because I noticed I get condensation behind the diaphragm cap.

Re: Pump/Bottle cleaning question

Originally Posted by @llli*novmommy

Thanks for the warm welcome. I have been lurking for about a week but the ladies are so supportive here I had to jump in with some of my questions. Do you would buy new membranes and valves every few weeks?

I have heard that as time goes on I won't be as obsessed with the cleaning. I am definitely looking forward to that

Another quick question- when you freeze your milk, do you refrigerate it first and then move it to the freezer? Or pop it into the freezer right away?

I dont think you need to replace the valves and membranes that often. I was pumping 3-4x per day and relied on the output.

When freezing, do it in amounts of like 3-4 oz and cool it in the fridge for a short time before freezing.

Re: Pump/Bottle cleaning question

I only sterilized my stuff before the first use Other than that, I just washed in hot soapy water every day. I never replaced my membranes after a year of pumping - although I did use 2 sets of parts for some time before that got old and I just started using the same set each time. Just check them for wear periodically. I never washed the tubing either PITA and no milk ever got in there.

Proud mom of 2:
DD 5/2008 nursed for 3 years and 3 months.
DS born 8/2011 nursing like a champ

Sorry for the short responses...always, always, always NAK or holding a baby

Re: Pump/Bottle cleaning question

When I was pumping 3-4x per day (and what I will do when I go back to work in January) is rinse the horns/valves, etc. with hot water each time after I pump. Then each evening I would wash everything (pump parts and bottles) in hot soapy water and allow it all to air dry overnight, and re-assemble in the morning to get it ready for the day.

IRL all my friends call me Buff, Wife to CB since 10/11/2003

Mom to DD - "MJ" born 9/2007 @ 8lbs 10oz, 21.5" She's 6 years old!
My journey nursing MJ started HERE, but we got through it and she breastfed 19.5 months, self-weaned on 5/17/09

Re: Pump/Bottle cleaning question

I pumped for a year with both my LOs and I prob sterilized a handful of times...only time I def did it is when I opened them new from the package....warm soapy water is all that is really necessary...I would also throw them in about once a week in my dishwasher!

I replaced the white valves prob twice in the year I used them...never any problems

I usually pumped, then put in fridge and swapped out the old with the new...froze the older milk in the fridge and kept the newly pumped milk in the fridge

-Katie

-Wife to Joe 5-15-04
-First time mom to Courtney Ann 8-12-07
-Became a mom of 2: Brendan Joseph was born 01-08-09
-Breastfed both of them for one whole year
-Now a new mom of 3: Emily Theresa born 12-14-11
-Breastfeeding again and hope to go the full year!